Just before she died, Mrs Holmes filmed Elle laughing with her 13-year-old brother, Oliver, as she tried to catch grapes in her mouth.

Mrs Holmes said Elle had seized every opportunity the world had to offer.

Elle sang, played guitar, saxophone, and keyboard and she was captain of the schools swimming, netball and football teams.

She was in the top set and taking her A level and GCSEs early and was a school ambassador who completed 10 days volunteering in Tanzania, renovating a primary school and teaching children.

Liverpool-born Leigh, 40, who used to lead 3rd Bootle troop scouts, said: “Elle was the kid every kid wanted to be and the one other parents hoped their kid would make friends with.

“She was a dream child: funny, mischievous, caring about her family, committed and openly loving to me, her mum, and her little brother.

"I have a wonderful video of her filmed a few short hours before she made that fatal decision, laughing with her brother and friends as she tried and failed to catch grapes in her mouth.

"Watching that video the only thing you’d imagine was in this child’s immediate future would be a lecture from her mum about the grapes all over the floor.

"I know she didn’t feel-unloved, unvalued, or unsupported at home. But, clearly, she did have hidden demons, as sadly, do so many teenage girls."

Liverpool Echo

Happy family: Leigh Holmes with her children Elle and Oliver

Despite, giving the impression to family she had a healthy appetite, with a certain group of friends, Elle was purging after eating.

Mrs Holmes said: “The trouble with bulimia is the signs aren’t as obvious – there is rarely any dramatic weight loss, and even her dentist assumed the change in her teeth was down to over brushing, rather than the damage caused by regurgitated stomach acid.

"Digging deeper, we found that in the few days before she died, Elle had started to take this body dysmorphic disorder to a new level by self-harming.

“She always wore large colourful sweatbands, or the chunky purple bracelet. Either one was a common sight on her wrist, so in those few short days leading up to her death, we all missed it.

"In the last few messages on social media, she shared with a friend that it had frightened her, and agreed she needed to stop."

Elle was in Beijing at the time of her death. Mrs Holmes, whose work took them across the world, believes her death was accidental – a spur of the moment decision she was unable to reverse.

Liverpool Echo

Singing: Elle Holmes sang her own moving lyrics

Remembering that night, Leigh added: "As a family we went to bed about 10pm.

"At some point a little later, Elle appears to have started becoming distressed and began texting a friend, a blameless young artist who also was exploring her own demons, who could not have known the state of mind Elle was in from such short digital messages, carrying none of the nuance or body language of a real conversation.

"She sent Elle a darkly Gothic-inspired image that she had been working on, featuring skulls and nooses and statements that on any other day would be laughed off as 'silly Emo stuff'.

"Elle then asked about another friend, with whom she had recently fallen out, asking, 'has she given up on me?'.

"She answered, this friend, (another blameless teenager, with all the fears and anxieties of every teenager everywhere) had.

"We can only imagine what dark tunnels Elle’s mind took her down from there onwards, but roughly two hours later, my wonderful baby died – leaving me heartbroken.

"'Mirror, Mirror' is her last gift to the world. Written for a friend, this message of hope and redemption is for every teenager struggling with their own demons, whatever they may be."

The charity ‘b-eat.co.uk’ helps adults and young people deal with eating disorders. They operate an Adult Helpline on 0845 634 1414 and youth line on 0845 634 7650. You can also text the Youthline on 07786 201820. There is also a Youthline email service at fyp@b-eat.co.uk

For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details.